Disagree
by PopCultureSalad
Summary: Based off the Tumblr Prompt: a one night stand that ends in pregnancy. Beth has only done two crazy things her whole life. This wasn't one of those times. This was a category of its own. AU/No ZA


Beth has only done two crazy things her whole life.

Once in high school, she snuck out of her room to attend a party and experienced getting drunk for the first time.

The second incident occurred when she joined her sister and her friends who broke into an abandoned building and decided to paint several designs on the walls.

She shook her head of the memories and took stock of where she was at the moment.

This did not count as a crazy thing. It was a category of its own.

"You know whatever happens it's going to be okay, right Bethy?" Her sister sat next to her at the doctor's office, holding her hand.

When Beth had originally told her, Maggie had lost it. She had yelled at her little sister for being so irresponsible, for doing something so risky. But one look at Beth and the anger went away.

Beth didn't need a lecture, she needed a sister. And Maggie was going to be the best sister for her.

...

_At least it wasn't a stranger Beth reasoned with herself. Granted, Daryl Dixon was barely an acquaintance, but at least she knew who he was._

_Somewhat._

_He was good friends with The Grimes' Family, who had been old family friends of the Greenes. She would see him at various social gatherings, chatting with Rick and Lori, or having a drink with his brother Merle. She probably knew Merle better, considering he had recently married her good friend Carol. Beth was at their home every Thursday evening teaching Carol's daughter, Sophia, how to play the piano._

_His name was Daryl. He was friends with the Grimes' and with Carol. He was Merle's brother._

_And that was all._

...

"Beth Greene?" The nurse announced, shaking Beth from her stupor. Beth's heart began to race as she stood up, hands shaking as she reached down for her purse.

"Want me to come with you?" Maggie asked watching her closely; reflecting Beth's nerves back to her.

"Please?"

...

_It had been the Grimes' annual End of Summer Barbeque._

_Beth had arrived early, carrying three huge jugs of homemade strawberry lemonade in the flat of her truck._

_"Let me help you with those sugar" a familiar Southern drawl had come from her left shoulder._

_"Thanks Merle" she reached for one and handed it to him._

_"Daryl, get yer ass over here and help the lady!" He yelled without looking over his shoulder, almost as if he had known his brother was watching._

_As Beth reached for another one, she heard his steps approaching them. She turned, jug in hand, and walked the remaining distance to hand it over to him._

_"Damn, this is heavier than it looks" he said as he took it. "Surprised you could carry it."_

_"I'm stronger than you think." She shrugged as she walked back for the last jug. She heard Merle holler a laugh as she reached for the lemonade and walked towards the front door._

...

"Is it even statistically possible to get pregnant after having sex one time?" Beth asked as she sat on the large plastic bed in the examining room, unconsciously rubbing the spot where the nurse had just drawn blood.

"I mean, you've had how many one-night stands, and you never got knocked up."

"Hey!" Maggie scoffed as she looked up from her phone. "Let's not make this about me, okay."

Beth just continued looking straight, not sure exactly what she was hoping for.

...

_"Hey Lori, need a hand?" Beth almost laughed as she saw Lori holding baby Judith in one arm while trying to load a tray into the oven with the other._

_"Yes, Beth thanks." She turned and smiled at her "Take your pick, the baby or the biscuits?"_

_Beth giggled as she took Judith from her and slowly walked out the kitchen into the back yard. Beth was so busy paying attention to Judith that she hadn't noticed a large figure approaching her._

_"Hey Lil' Ass-Kicker." Daryl seemed not to notice Beth either as his eyes were drawn to the baby. "Whatcha doing here?"_

_"We're just giving mommy a break" she answered also looking at Judith. She looked up, seeing her own reflection from his sunglasses._

_"Lil' Ass-Kicker?" She asked._

_He chuckled and slid his sunglasses up his head, allowing Beth to see him clearly for the first time._

_"Yeah, you disagree?" He narrowed his eyes at her._

_Beth rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile._

_Baby Judith had been their ice breaker._

_They didn't leave the others side for the rest of the night._

...

Maggie joined Beth on the cushioned bed. She held her sister's hand as they waited for the doctor.

"You know I love you sis." Maggie looked at her younger sister. Beth stared at poster in front of her. It was one of those cartoon medical ones that showed the inside of a woman's pregnant belly, detailing the months of progression.

Beth took a deep breath and turned to look at her sister.

Yeah Beth Greene was going to be okay.

A small knock turned their attention to the door as doctor with a warm smile walked in, clipboard in hand.

...

_After the party had ended, Daryl helped her load the empty jugs back to her truck. He had made a joke about her carrying two empty jugs that caused her to smack him on the chest. He repeated the joke, and when Beth went to hit him again he grabbed her wrist and quickly brought it to his lips. She almost yanked her hand back, caught off guard by the rush she had felt and the tingling sensation that had spread across her body._

_He brought their hands down slowly, having released them at the last second._

_Beth immediately missed the contact and had known it was up to her to retrieve it._

_She grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him, kissing him hard. She felt his hands grasp at her hair as she squeezed his hips and gasped roughly into his mouth._

_She barely remembered telling him that her apartment was a few minutes away. She barely remembered the drive there, just that both had giggled like teenagers during the drive. When they arrived, Daryl had insisted on giving her a piggy-back ride to the door, something she had found adorable and romantic._

_From her position, she struggled to open the door, but once inside she jumped off and pushed herself against him, their bodies closing the door shut behind him. He leaned down and placed his hands on the backs of her thighs, a prompt for her to wrap her legs around him. He expertly carried her back in the direction he thought her room was in._

_"Wait," she gasped "other way."_

_He grunted and swung them both around, causing his hip to hit her bookshelf, knocking one of the shelves down._

_"I'll fix that later." He grunted as he took them to her bedroom._

_She had giggled as she peppered him with kisses along the side of his neck, not being bothered at the slightest about her collection of books being left on the floor._

_He found her bedroom and practically fell on top of her on the bed, Beth still attached to him like a vine. She arched into him and felt his body respond in the most delicious way between their bodies. She repeated the motion causing him to move from where he had been placing kisses on her neck, to move up to her lips._

_She pushed them both up into a sitting position so that she could remove her blouse, while Daryl pulled his t-shirt off. She quickly removed her bra and looked at Daryl, caught breathless for a second as she took in the sight of his bare chest. He had watched her too, both in awe at the person sitting in front of them. It was only after he gave her a cocky grin that Beth rolled her eyes and playfully slapped his chest that they both laughed and continued their intimate explorations._

_And when Daryl removed her skirt and underwear, placing her bare legs over his shoulders as his lips and tongue skimmed at the core of her, all playfulness went away._

...

Seven weeks later Beth was sitting alone on a swing at a park around the corner from her home. She had practically begged Maggie to leave her alone after they were done at the doctor's office, telling her she needed some time by herself.

She looked up and smiled at the beautiful October day. This was something she wanted to remember. How on the day she found out she was going to be a mother, the sun was shining bright, the clouds were extra white and fluffy, and the birds were singing cheerfully.

Beth was going to make today the most beautiful day every, despite the paralyzing fear that was threatening to take over.

She didn't regret it. Not one moment.

She closed her eyes and remembered. How incredibly full and complete she had felt the moment Daryl had been inside of her. How he had worshiped every inch of her body, and allowed her to do the same to his. How they whispered words of gratitude and assurance, and how she felt protected as they drifted off to sleep.

How could there be any regret with that.

They'd run into each other on various occasions after. It was usually accompanied with a smile or a nod. They hadn't spoken, and she was okay with that. She didn't feel used, and she was certain he had felt the same.

She took a few deep breaths and slowly got off the swing, heading back to her apartment, determined to distract herself with something that would reaffirm the perfection that would be this day.

As she walked through the gates to her apartment complex she saw him sitting on bench between three trees. Without even thinking she made her way to him, feeling a boldness that up until that morning had been new for her. He was staring at his shoes with so much concentration that he didn't notice her until she spoke.

"Daryl?"

His head snapped up. She saw a small blush creep up his cheeks to his ears.

"What's going on?" She tilted her head as she spoke.

"I um," he got up and put out the cigarette she had just noticed he had been smoking.

"I missed ya." He didn't look at her as he spoke. Didn't see how her face lit up with those words.

"And I, well, Beth I'm trying to be a man of honor." He stood up straighter as he said that, finally looking at her in the eyes.

"I don't walk away from my responsibilities." She felt all the blood rush out of her body. How could he possibly already know?

"I gotta do right by you." He scanned her face before turning around and picking up a small tool box.

"I promised to fix that bookshelf of yours, and I'm here to do that."

Beth closed her eyes and let out a quiet laugh of relief. She looked back up to him and saw him smiling back.

"I never doubted you as a man of honor Daryl."

They both stared at each other for a while, before Beth took his hand and led him inside.

...

They had a daughter.

She was born at the beginning of summer.

They named her Emily Grace.

Daryl called them both his Sunshine Girls, because they turned every day into a perfect day.

She didn't disagree.


End file.
